1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to disc brake anti-rattle or anti-chatter devices, and more specifically relates to such a device designed to eliminate or attenuate such noises at their source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A search of U.S. patents that was conducted prior to the filing of this disclosure located the following patents: Soltis, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,275, date of issue 08-26-69, Girauldon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,878, date of issue 11-02-71, Courbot, U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,261, date of issue 04-29-75, Haraikawa, U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,927, date of issue 02-03-76, Luepertz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,190, date of issue 02-19-80.
Earlier attempts to attenuate disc brake caliper chatter have, in effect, treated the symptoms of the chatter and not the source thereof. More specifically, the prior art shows assemblies designed primarily to prevent the friction pads from rattling inside the caliper. Although the friction pads do indeed cause a rattling noise in worn brake assemblies, the elimination of such friction pad rattle does not attack the source of the problem.
In all motorcycle disc brake assemblies, the brake housing, or caliper, is mounted on a mounting bracket that can assume differing sizes and shapes. In each case, however, the caliper itself is mounted to the bracket by an assembly that includes a pair of bored boss members formed on the mounting bracket in vertically spaced relation to one another, which boss members receive the mounting pins upon which the caliper is mounted. With use, the diameter of the bores defined by such mounting bracket boss members will increase, and the guide pins disposed therein will accordingly begin to move about therein responsive to mounting bracket movement. The mounting bracket will move, of course, because it is mounted to a fork of the vehicle at one end and to an axle of the vehicle at the other end. As the diameter of the bores formed in the respective boss members increases, the unpleasant chattering noise increases.
Many motorcycle owners have heretofore been required to purchase new caliper assemblies to eliminate the chatter. Not only are the new assemblies expensive, but in view of the teachings of this disclosure, such caliper replacement is no longer necessary. The assembly disclosed hereinafter enables the caliper mounting pins and the ever enlarging bore portions of the respective boss means to remain in non-rattling disposition relative to one another regardless of the amount of wear thereon.